The Multiversal Pitch That Almost Was
James Gunn recently revealed he pitched what would have been one of superhero television’s most unexpected crossovers: a Deadpool cameo in his DC series Peacemaker. During a virtual press conference attended by IGN, Gunn disclosed that he envisioned Ryan Reynolds’ Marvel antihero appearing through one of the dimensional doorways that featured prominently in the show’s first season.
“Yeah, I wanted them to open the door and see Deadpool in a room,” Gunn stated, confirming he’d even discussed the idea directly with Reynolds. “He wanted to do it, but we would’ve had to go through some pretty big hoops to make it happen.”
Breaking the Marvel-DC Barrier
While Marvel and DC have maintained largely separate cinematic universes, the concept isn’t without precedent in comics. The companies have collaborated on several crossover events, most notably:
- Amalgamation Comics in the 1990s, which merged characters from both universes
- Recent one-shot crossovers including Spider-Man/Superman and Deadpool/Batman team-ups
- Multiple references to DC characters within Deadpool’s comic storylines
As CBR notes, Deadpool and Batman recently shared pages in a 2023 crossover comic, demonstrating that corporate boundaries can sometimes be flexible when the creative opportunity arises.
Why the Cameo Never Materialized
The logistical challenges proved insurmountable for what would have been a landmark television moment. Gunn explained that between studio negotiations, contract complications, and the sheer novelty of the concept, the barriers were simply too significant to overcome.
“That’s all anybody’s going to talk about now,” Gunn later joked about revealing the pitched cameo. “Is fucking Deadpool in the other room? I should have never said it!” His comment, reported by Variety, highlights how such a crossover would have dominated fan discussions potentially overshadowing the show’s actual narrative.
The Silver Lining of Unrealized Ambition
While fans might lament missing what could have been a historic crossover moment, there are practical reasons why the idea remained in the pitch phase. As The Hollywood Reporter observes, the current superhero landscape already struggles with franchise fatigue and oversaturation.
Adding a Marvel-DC crossover to the mix might have created more headaches than magic. The intense scrutiny and inevitable corporate complications could have distracted from Gunn’s broader vision for the DC Universe, which he now oversees as co-CEO of DC Studios. Sometimes the most ambitious ideas are better left as fascinating what-ifs rather than complicated realities.
